Liberal South Africa in the 1970s?

I don't think a communist revolution would have succeeded. The Afrikaner establishment was too powerful. That's why the ANC's armed struggle was restricted to a relatively few bombings and shootings.There was no real military establishment which could have in any way have faced up to the SA Defence Force.

If a Communist or even USSR friendly regime have got into power in the 1970's the attitiude of the USA would have been interesting. Was SA's strategic importance significant enough to justify US intervention? Maybe seize Simonstown to secure the shipping lanes around the Cape.

Most of the world's gold comes from a handful of places, of which the two biggest are South Africa and the USSR. A Communist government in the United States will almost certainly result in destabilization efforts (doubly so if the Cubans are around) at least, full-scale intervention at worst.
 
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